Clamp for egg case tops



Aug. 7, 1935. R. E. NEEDHAM 2,012,475

CLAMP FOR EGG CASE TOPS Filed Nov. 5, 1954 Inventor I? RZWJE, jweia n.

Attorney Patented Aug. 27, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a clamp for holding the top of an egg case in position without nailing, the general object of the invention being to provide a foldable clamp which can be easily and quicldy placed over the top of an egg crate into engagement with the cleats at the top of the case to firmly hold the top in position Without the use of nails or the like.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in: the combination and arrangement of several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an egg case showing the invention in use and holding the top of the case in position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the clamp in folded position.

In this drawing, the case is shown at A and the top at B, the ends of the case having the cleats a attached to the top thereof. In carrying out my invention, I provide a clamp C which is composed of the two longitudinally extending spring metal bars i and the two transversely extending spring metal bars 2, the four bars being pivotally connected together as shown at 3 so that the clamp can be moved to the open position shown in Fig. 2 or to the closed position shownin Fig. 3. Each of the bars 2 has its ends bent downwardly at right angles as shown at 4 and one end of each of the bars I is bent downwardly into substantially U-shape as shown at 5 while the other end of each bar I is bent downwardly at right angles as shown at 5 and this end is bent to provide an inwardly extending V-shaped projecticn 1 intermediate its ends.

The top B is placed on the case A as shown in Fig. 1 and then the clamp is opened and the hooks or U-shaped ends 5 are placed over one of the cleats a and the clamp pushed downwardly so that the ends 4 will overlap the top and the case at the sides thereof and the ends 6 are pressed over the other cleats until the projections 1 engage the underside or edge of said cleat as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the clamp will firmly hold the top in position and the more the top bulges upwardly, the tighter the clamp will hold the parts in position. When it is desired to remove the top, the ends 6 are moved outwardly to release the projections from the oleat and then the clamp can be lifted and the top removed. When not in use, the clamp is folded to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that it will occupy but little space.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims, as for example the bar hereinbefore referred to as being of spring metal may be of spring wire or any other spring metals.

I claim:

1. A top holding clamp for a case having cleats at its ends comprising a plurality of longitudinally and transversely extending bars of spring material pivotally connected together, the transverse bars having their ends depending downwardly and one end of each longitudinal bar having a hook depending downwardly for engaging one of the cleats, the other end of each longitudinally extending bar having a depending part formed with an inwardly extending projection for engaging under the other cleat.

2. A top holding clamp for a case having cleats at its ends comprising a plurality of longitudinally and transversely extending bars of spring material pivotally connected together, the transverse bars having their ends depending downwardly and one end of each longitudinal bar having a hook depending downwardly for engaging one of the cleats, the other end of each longitudinally extending bar having a depending part formed with an inwardly extending projection for engaging under the other cleat, each projection being formed by bending an intermediate part of the depending portion into V- shape.

3. A clamp for holding a top to a case comprising a pair of transversely extending bars of spring material having the ends extending downwardly, a pair of longitudinally extending bars pivoted to the transverse bars, each longitudinally extending bar having; a depending hook at one endthereof and a depending part at its other end formed with an inwardly extending projection.

ROBERT E. NEEDHAM. 

